WBEN Commentary & Opinion

The Prank of ALL Pranks! But What Price?

by Tim Wenger,posted Mar 12 2013 3:10PM

It really has to be just about THE prank of all pranks. And those responsible didn't even set out to do what actually happened in the end.

These two unidentified twenty-something's pranked Buffalo Bills GM Buddy Nix by getting through to his office. But they got cold feet when he actually answered, so they hung up. Buddy, being a persistent NFL GM, kept calling the number back because he was led to believe the call came from Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominik.

Those two guys were pretty persistent too as they picked up the phone to call Dominik too and prank him as well. Just as Dominik was picking up the line, Nix rang through to the guys and they answered, conferencing them all together. So Nix and Dominik did all the talking while the two pranksters stayed hush and recorded the conversation on another phone.

When you put it all together it's all quite amazing. It truly is a masterful prank that will go down in the history books.

Nix and Dominik talked for several minutes, complaining about the newly instituted 72 hour rule for NFL free agency and Nix went on to lament about the predicament his club is in with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. As a casual observer and fan of either team, it's all pretty interesting stuff. It's some inside information and insight to the inner-workings of the NFL.

But step back a bit and think about the ramifications of this amazing stunt. At the very least it makes the Bills and Tampa club look pretty bad. It makes you wonder how Buddy Nix thought he was really calling Mark Dominik as the phone call begins with Nix questioning Dominik why there's no voicemail and why no one answers his phone.

Most of us have been the victim of an embarrassing prank in our lifetimes. Fortunately, most of these pranks are harmless and end up being a good story. But in the case, there's a lot on the line. Millions and millions of dollars are at stake in free agency and in the NFL draft that's approaching. The livelihood of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Nix and Dominik could also be on the line following this prank.

As you would expect, the Buffalo Bills are looking into the legal aspects of the release of the phone call audio by the website Deadspin.com. At first glance, legal experts tell WBEN the two who recorded the call could be in some serious legal hot water and Deadspin may have some issues of its own as well.

But while the social media world erupts with amusing commentary about the masterfully pulled-off prank, it'll be interesting to see who gets the last laugh. Somehow I don;t think it will be the two pranksters.

And finally, think about this. In a day and age when two young men can successfully prank two top NFL executives and record their conversation unknowingly, we're waiting to see whether white or black smoke comes from a chimney high atop The Vatican.

This station was George W Bush's cheerleader numero uno when he was shredding the Constitution. Perhaps you've conveniently forgotten the so-called "Patriot Act" along with forgetting how their looting of the Treasury gave us thedeficit we're still dealing with. Spare us the lecture, hypocrite.